Service Salsa

Unlike our amazing Volunteer Maryland Coordinators, I am not developing a volunteer program for the Chesapeake Volunteer Center (CVC), however I am still working on a project to revamp their website and online database.  You may be wondering, “How did that come about?”  One of the great things about Volunteer Maryland is that we partner with organizations across the state for various reasons.  In addition to the service sites, at which our  Volunteer Maryland Coordinators are currently serving, Volunteer Maryland has partnered with the CVC  and Partners in Care this year to provide the Peer Leaders with a secondary, yet convenient office space, in exchange for  us dedicating our time to their projects.  It is truly a give-give relationship.

My work with the CVC is not solo.  I am partnering with Chesapeake Helps and  an AmeriCorps*VISTA member, who is with the MD-DC Campus Compact program!  It is always exciting and motivating to work with fellow AmeriCorps members, especially if we are affiliated with separate programs.  This is another reason why Volunteer Maryland partners with so many institutions.   Each of us brings something unique and valuable to the table; a special salsa if you will.  Some organizations are tomatoes of environmental stewardship. Others are bell peppers for quality education, jalapenos for economic opportunity, cilantro for disaster services, or onions for healthy futures.  Blended together, we produce a “service salsa” that  our communities can dip into.   I personally love salsa and practically eat it every other day…but I digress.

The specific mission statements for Volunteer Maryland, Maryland nonprofits, government agencies, and schools differ from one another, but our ultimate goal of bettering our communities is the same.   We’re always looking for new “ingredients” to add so visit our website to learn more about  how you can become involved.  I don’t want to force you to join our salsa mix, but man, you’re missing out.  For those of you already in the mix ¡Disfruta de su salsa (enjoy your salsa)!